The NFL is a cutthroat league, but there may not be another stretch as brutal as the next two weeks. Teams have a short window in which they have to trim their rosters down from 90 to 53. Inevitably, players who have shown promise in the offseason will be let go.
Rookie defensive tackle Bobby Jamison-Travis could be one of Big Blue's most brutal cuts. The sixth-round pick has shown flashes of talent in the preseason, but he may be the victim of a crowded Giants roster.
ESPN's Jordan Raanan gave a full roster projection following New York's preseason win over the Miami Dolphins, and Jamison-Travis was left out of the final 53. Raanan cited the rookie's unpolished play as a reason to keep him on the practice squad.
Giants rookie DT Bobby Jamison-Travis still isn't a roster lock after solid preseason showing
Jamison-Travis was never going to be a starter for the Giants this season, but he has a chance to play a real role. Behind DJ Reader, Darius Alexander, and Shelby Harris, the rookie could be part of New York's rotation on the interior. His flexibility to play either as a nose tackle or as a three-technique defensive tackle makes him a valuable depth piece.
The rookie defensive tackle earned starting reps against the Dolphins. In ten defensive snaps, he produced one sack and one run stop. He split his time almost evenly between nose tackle and three-technique.
But Raanan still thinks he's too far away.
In Raanan's roster projection, only four interior defensive linemen (Reader, Harris, Alexander, and Leki Fotu) made the cut. Chauncey Golston, who was listed as an edge defender, can also move to the inside in certain packages.
The defensive tackle room itself isn't the only factor in the rookie's roster chances. Jamison-Travis could be the victim of crowded groups at other spots on the roster. If the Giants keep seven receivers, as Raanan projects, it could leave one fewer spot for a defensive tackle.
If Jamison-Travis is left off Big Blue's final roster, he may be picked up by a different team. His skill set as a stout run stopper with juice as a pass rusher is valuable in the league. It wouldn't be surprising to see another team take a chance on the rookie.
The young defender will still have another chance to prove his worth when the G-Men take on the New York Jets in their final preseason matchup. He'll need another impressive performance there to solidify his place on the roster.
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